Home explosion kills man, seriously injures teenage girl, firefighters say
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Nicole Blanchard and Ruth Brown, Idaho Statesman
One adult male died when a home exploded in McCall on Sunday afternoon, according to the McCall Fire Department. The Idaho Statesman reports a teenage girl was seriously injured.
The explosion happened around 4:15 p.m., near Fairview Drive, across from the McCall Golf Course. Fairview Drive follows the perimeter of the McCall Golf Course, where several businesses and other buildings are located.
“The blast destroyed the home, leaving a crater and debris field hundreds of yards across. Arriving firefighters received reports of the female survivor screaming for help from the back of the burning wreckage,” according to a news release from the McCall Fire Department.
Two firefighters forced their way through burning rubble to the teenager and pulled her to safety, shielding her from heat and fighting fire using a pressure water fire extinguisher.
The girl, who has not been identified, was carried to the nearby McCall Golf Course parking lot where she was airlifted to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. She remains in the intensive care unit in critical condition according to hospital staff, the fire department reported early Monday.
The cause and precise location of the explosion weren’t immediately clear. The name of the deceased man has not been released yet.
“Homes on either side of the blast were extensively damaged, suffering fire and broken windows. Sections of ceiling collapsed inside neighboring homes and boards were found penetrating the roofs,” the fire department reported in a news release.
The Idaho State Fire Marshals office alongside acting McCall Fire Department Chief Garrett de Jong are working to determine the cause of the explosion.